Antisense to transforming growth factor-β1 messenger RNA reduces vein graft intimal hyperplasia and monocyte chemotactic protein 1

The main cause of occlusion and graft failure after peripheral and cardiac arterial reconstruction is IH. The study of the mechanisms and mediators of IH, including TGF-β1, should lead to future gene therapies to prevent or limit IH. The clinical effect of such treatments would be enormous, because they would increase graft longevity, thereby enhancing quality of life and enabling patients to live without the threat of limb loss or recurrent heart attack.